Classic Brioche!

Who doesn't love brioche?

It is so flaky, so buttery, so delicately delicious!

Anyone who has ever made brioche knows how time consuming this particular delight is, but the payoff is very much worth the patience! This is a recipe that you make on a lazy, foggy, Sunday when there is nothing else to do and you don't feel like doing much else.

This recipe is one I've made twice before. The first time, it came out wonderfully! The second, not so much rise and not much fluffiness. This time, it was right in the middle. I'm happy with the flakiness of the bread, but the outside and sides were a bit burnt. I believe that the culprit was my yeast. The dough didn't rise enough and I think I killed some of the yeast, so be sure your water is at the right temperature before mixing everything! (between 105 to 115 degrees F)

Anyway, this is a recipe from King Arthur. I found that this recipe is the best one I've tried. 

Oh, and you might have noticed that my brioche doesn't have the "typical brioche" look. I don't have the special pans that these amazing breads are supposed to be baked in. They're uni-taskers, and my philosophy is the same as Alton Brown's: the only uni-tasker in my kitchen is a fire extinguisher.

• Ingredients:
• 2 3/4 cups AP flour, divided
• 1 1/2 tsp instant yeast
• 1/4 cup water (between 105 to 115 degrees F for yeast)
• 4 large eggs
• 2 Tbs sugar
• 3/4 tsp sal
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

egg wash:

1 large egg

1 tablespoon water

Directions:

Place 1 1/2 cups AP flour, yeast, water, and eggs into the bowl of an electric mixer with the flat beater attachment, or the bucket of the bread machine. Knead until smooth, about 5 minutes. Cover the mixture and let sit for 45 minutes. The mixture will look watery, so don't panic!

After 45 minutes, the sponge will have developed some bubbles. If not, check your yeast! Switch the beater to a dough hook. Add the remaining 1 1/4 cups flour, sugar, and salt. Beat for 8 to 10 minutes. The dough should clean the sides of the bowl and become shiny and elastic. 

With the mixer, or bread machine, running on medium, add the softened butter 2 Tbs at a time, letting the butter incorporate before adding more. Keep adding butter until you incorporate the 2 sticks. Cover and let rise for 1 hour. 

The dough should have grown about a third after the hour. Turn the dough onto a floured surface, or knead the dough in the bowl like I did, and fold it over several times. Cover the bowl and place in refrigerator for at least 4 hours to about 16 hours, to firm up (I didn't have the time to wait longer than 4 hours).

Divide the dough into 12 pieces. If you want the classic brioche look, take off a marble sized amount off of each piece and set aside. Roll each piece into a ball and place them in a greased tin or whatever pan you're using. Let these beauties rise for another 1 hour. Your patience will be rewarded!

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare your egg wash. Beat egg with water until combined.

If you've set aside the little marble pieces, after the dough has risen and is puffy-looking, grease your finger and poke a little dent on top of each brioche. Place your marble on top of each one. Brush each brioche with the egg wash. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Watch your brioche well! If the tops seem to become too dark, take them out and check for doneness! 

After they're done baking, remove the brioche goodness from the over and let cool on a rack before serving. Best served warm!

Thanks for checking out this recipe! Please follow me on Pinterest! Let me know how your version of this recipe turned out. I would love pics! Just use the envelope link below to contact me. Thanks and Happy Baking!

-Joanna